Just called the offices of Sen. Mark Warner (202-224-2023) and Sen. Jim Webb (202-224-4024) and asked them to support continued investment in the Partnership for Sustainable Communities. What is it?When cities, towns and suburbs plan their future transportation, housing, water and sewer infrastructure and public services strategically, they save money and so does the federal government. The Partnership for Sustainable Communities, a collaboration between the EPA, DOT and HUD, is about making that type of planning possible. 45 regions containing 80 million Americans in rural, suburban and urban communities are already benefiting from the Partnership programs.Investment? Planning? Of course it was cut by House Republicans in the 2012 budget, while tax cuts for the rich and subsidies for oil companies were continued. Cutting investments in America's future that cost just $527 million a year in the name of protecting tax cuts for the rich is like telling your kids you can't afford vaccines because you have to keep making payments on your Porsche.
Click the above map for an interactive look at how the program has delivered $3.4 million in targeted investments to Virginia. Doesn't sound like much, less than Washington Redskins Coach Mike Shanahan's 2011 salary, but that's exactly the point - small amounts of money well-targeted can deliver big benefits. The program has also worked closely with Virginia Tech's Metropolitan Institute.
Learn more at SmartGrowthAmerica.org, find your senators at Senate.gov, and please call them to support this incredibly inexpensive, valuable program.
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